A disclaimer here:  Sam couldn't get the internet to work so she sent this update, via email to me (her mom), and I think she intended to send pictures but either she couldn't or they didn't come through.  Either way, the pictures aren't included and since she won't be able to send them until the weekend, I am updating her blog anyway.  Enjoy!

Hello everyone.

I was at first so surprised that so many people were viewing my blog. The last time I came on I was thinking wow there are a lot of people following me! Well… I just met a lot of them. I guess the Brentwood church has been keeping up with what Justin and I are doing by reading my blog, and now finally they are in Gulu ready to serve. I am so thankful to meet them all. So for anyone else who is from Lynchburg, they have arrived safe, have already experienced the farm, real Acholi church, maybe even some interesting food, and are just one day away from getting to work.

This week hasn’t been slow, but it has been really simple. We had a staff meeting on Monday. So… I think if American’s were running the meeting it would have maybe lasted 1-2 hours. But it ended up being close to 5 hours long. Of course it was a good meeting, just kinda exhausting. Then on Tuesday the staff came for ½ a day but left early and haven’t been back all week. With the Brentwood church coming they had to make some last minute changes and Aloysius ended up leaving Thursday to pick the luggage for the team. It was good for me though because I love doing the house chores. I think I can safely say I can fetch water, do laundry, do the dishes, and the biggest achievement…. Taking care of baby Joshua. Man he is becoming a handful.

I think it was Thursday that I went to town with Erik and Esther and Joshua. I went to the market and bought foods with Erik and then with Esther I bought some African patterned fabric so I can have some clothes made. Lydia has been involved with Aloysius’s ministry for a long time and she is making the things for me. The most amazing part to me was that I purchased 24 yards of fabric for about 35 US dollars. If you sew at all…. You know that is sooooo cheap. It was really fun to have a day with Esther and Erik and even Joshua. I think I am seeing that I have a purpose here. Esther told me today that me being here has really brought her peace because raising a 1-year-old, cooking and cleaning all day, and attending to a very busy husband is a huge job. I am so thankful to God that I have been able to relieve her even just a little bit. I know both her and Aloysius are in need of a very serious break and that has been my prayer since I came that I would not be a burden to them but instead be helpful to ease their crazyness.

I saw a funny sight last week that is worth sharing. I don’t think I have mentioned that while I was working in the garden a week ago, I was working side by side with a chain gang. I didn’t even know those still existed until I came here and I would once in a while see a truckload of black men wearing yellow uniforms… or until I saw those same people clearing the field with machetes next to the garden I was preparing with an armed guard watching them. Now you are probably thinking I am crazy for coming here… but I promise I was safe. Back to the funny sight I saw…. There was a guard and a prisoner coming into the compound of the house to return a few tools. After the prisoner returned a hoe, Justin and I realized that the prisoner was carrying a hoe AND a machete, but the guard was holding nothing. Is it just me or is there something wrong with that picture???

The best part about this week has been that the daycare is now back from holidays. I love listening to the children singing back lessons to the teacher in the mornings. I haven’t been teaching them yet, but I have been there for breakfast time. I don’t know I just love children!

(picture)

This is the building that they teach daycare in… sorry there isn’t a better view. Jubilee if you are reading my blog… this is the building that USED to be the church. I am so amazed it now looks so small! Koro has really grown. I asked the teachers and there are about 65 kids enrolled which is sooooo many but on average I have only seen a maximum of 40 arrive on a given day. If it is a rainy day a lot less children are able to come.

This is the well that I draw water from everyday. Water fetching is not really an artform…

This is Natasha. She looks really skinny, but actually she is due in about 2 weeks so I am PRAYING I get to see the kittens before I leave.

….Laundry….

And Justin with a giraffe in front of my favorite hotel in town. Its guarding the door because they are remodeling the reception room.

Thanks again and again for all your prayers. I know this week will be very exciting and it will be about another weeks time before I can update again. But at that point I know I will have many exciting things to share about what the Brentwood church has been up to. (I am also going to force myself to take some good pictures.)

She also wanted me to add - that we got up (well I was about an hour later) at 4 in the morning to start the cooking for the team. WE cooked by candle light and with coals!

It has actually been kinda a shock having the team here. It means my time is running out. Aloysius joked in church today that he was going to cancel Anyadwe’s (that’s me) flight home. Last night was my first night here without Justin around and it was very sad. I feel like he is some brother to me and Aloysius and Esther are our parents. I think he was secretly sad as well…

After this team leaves (which is only in one week) That means I have like 12 days left. Not even two weeks. I think I have decided to travel to Kampala sooner than I was originally planning because I have some business to attend there. I met someone who I want to interview and potentially find a scholarship for. Long story short: This boy named Ivan is very very smart and has been mentored by the ministry for a long time. He got such good marks in school that he is government funded to go to a university to become a teacher (which is very rare here). But his passion is engineering. I am in engineering school and I see so many students who don’t even really value their education but this man really has a passion so I was touched. I am hoping I can find someone at OSU who would be willing to pay for his tuition. It is so cheap. I think it came out to maybe 600-700 US dollars a term, 2 terms a year. Anyway… so that means I need to interview him, which means I leave Koro even sooner :(

I am sad but coming home will be just as wonderful as coming here. Again Again thank you for support and prayers. I can really feel God’s presence; I can feel that people are praying. I think it has been a long time since I have felt this kind of peace in my life. It’s not because things are peaceful here… but I am remembering the value of obedience to God and trying to live with less fear. You know, I think I have accepted every offer to share my testimony, talk to someone, do some task, even play soccer with big strong men (ok I actually refused the first time… but eventually I did) and it has been so rewarding to me. I am learning a lot.

Adios Amigos! Talk to you again soon.